Menu

knob creek

New to the Knob Creek limited edition family is this beauty – a cask strength, unfiltered, 9-year-old rye whiskey. In this case, cask strength means 119.6 proof. The one off (?) expression was barreled in 2009. Though there is no explicit age statement on the label, press materials stated this is 9-years-old.

A sharp eyed viewer mentioned not seeing the word “straight” on the label. I reached out to Beam, and they informed me this is in fact a straight rye whiskey, just not labeled as such.

On the nose, hints of dark caramel and toasted rye bread are joined by baking spice, orange peel, and leather notes. The palate sees more of the same. The rye grain isn’t as prominent as other high rye whiskies due to the seemingly smaller amount of rye in the mash bill, though it is at least 51%. It’s here in the form of a pleasing buttered rye toast, so no sharpness or dill note. Dark caramel and dark brown sugar add sweetness and richness, while the familiar Jim Beam roasted peanut is ever present, as is a generous sprinkling of baking spices. A touch of orange peel and some leather on the backend add more complexity. Finally some astringent old oak leads us into the finish, which is long, bittersweet and somewhat spicy. Compared to Knob Creek Small Batch Rye, this expression comes across as less sweet with a richer, more complex flavor.

The best part here is the price. In a world that sees a large percentage of limited edition releases introduced at the $100+ price point, Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye comes in at $69.99. Kudos to whoever made that decision. Older rye whiskies are becoming more and more expensive.

Like this:

I like the Knob Creek lineup, from the standard (now NAS) Small Batch and Single Barrel bourbons to the rye whiskey. Last year’s limited edition Knob Creek 2001 met with mixed reviews. I tried Batch 1 and thoroughly enjoyed it, though it hit close to my threshold for acceptable oak impact in a bourbon. One of the big complaints I’ve read about KC 2001 was its “low” proof. It was bottled at 100 proof, like the standard Small Batch and Rye Whiskey bottlings. Maybe Beam Suntory caught wind of the criticism and corrected it for their next release.

Even though it’s set for a June release, Knob Creek 25th is already proving controversial. The major concern among some consumers is the price. People are saying they can grab a 12 or 13 year old store pick of Knob Creek Single Barrel for $40 versus the $130 asking price for this 25th Anniversary release. They make a great point. I’m sure there amazing older store picks out there. However, older store picks aren’t available everywhere. And keep in mind the palates of the owners (or spirit buyers) who pick out single barrels of Knob Creek aren’t always great. Some of these folks simply don’t know a good whiskey from a bad one. This past weekend during the New Orleans Bourbon Festival, Jim Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe told me he is tasting and approving each barrel for this release. I trust his palate. I don’t think the $130 price tag for a barrel proof, single barrel 12-13 year old bourbon is outrageous at all. It’s priced about where it needs to be. I just see Knob Creek Single Barrel as a steal for $40.

Beam Suntory was kind enough to send out advanced samples to some reviewers and writers. I received a sample from two different barrels, both filled on 2/11/2004. I suppose this is more a preview than a review, as we’re still a few months away from the official launch. Once released, the plan is to try it again for a more in-depth look. In the meantime, here are my tasting notes and some final thoughts.

Sample 1 came in at 121.8 proof. I picked up dark brown sugar, grilled corn, black cherries, and cigar box on the nose, as well as a hint of dried vanilla pod. The palate was full of molasses and toasted grain upon entry, developing hints of herbs and roasted nuts on the mid-palate, leading to oak tannins going into the finish. The finish was warm and long, with cinnamon sticks, caramel and herbs. 8.5/10

Sample 2 was bottled at 125 proof. This one was a bit sweeter on the nose. Dark chocolate, dried figs and carmelized sugar led to hints of dark fruits, oak and spice. Taste-wise, burnt orange peel and vanilla start things off. Soon after, some bittersweet dark chocolate, cigar, cherry jam and oak spice develop. Like Sample 1, things start to become a little dry as the finish approaches. The long finish features hints of sweet oak, molasses and spice. 9.10

As expected, there is some variation between barrels. The two samples sent were quite delicious in different ways. Both feature a fair amount of oak, which is part of Knob Creek’s DNA. I didn’t find these two samples over-oaked, but like Knob Creek 2001 Batch 1, they just about hit my threshold for oak in a bourbon. The first sample came across as good as any Knob Creek Single Barrel I’ve had, but not necessarily better. The extra couple of proof points stood out in the second sample, coming across as a bit bolder than the 120 proof Knob Creek Single Barrel. I’d easily reach for more of Sample 2 if I had more.

My hope is that quality control is strictly implemented when it comes to barrel selection. Whether or not it’s “good value” is not a question I can answer for you. Personally, I think this new release is worthy of purchase, though you’re really paying for a couple of extra proof points versus the 120 proof of the standard KC Single Barrels. I don’t think Beam Suntory is going to release subpar or over-oaked barrels for this release, but I know some barrels are going to be better than others. Based on what I tasted, I think Knob Creek 25th Anniversary will sell better than last year’s 2001 release. Bottom line: If you’re a fan of Knob Creek, I’d recommend seeking out a bottle of Knob Creek 25th Anniversary when it starts hitting shelves in June.

Thanks to Beam Suntory for the samples. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Like this:

One of my favorite things about single barrel whiskies is that several brands offer store picks. This can be a good thing or a not-so-good thing. It all depends on the palate of the person picking the whiskies, and the quality of the barrels being offered. A few months back, I helped a local store pick out some barrels of bourbon. It was a fun experience, and once they get delivered to the store, I’ll post some notes here. In the meantime…

Maisano’s Fine Wine & Spirits in Ocean Springs, Mississippi offers a variety of single barrel whiskies hand-picked by owner Jonathan Maisano. I was down there a couple of weeks back. After a great talk with Jonathan (the man knows his whiskey and wine), he kindly offered me a sample of his Knob Creek pick that had just been delivered. So, I thought I’d post the results of my tasting here. This is my first review of a store pick whiskey, and it definitely won’t be my last.

This bourbon is 9 years and 4 months old. That’s right in line with the standard bottling of Knob Creek Single Barrel, which I find to be the best value in the Knob Creek lineup. Bottled at 120 proof, this one carries some weight. And that’s to be expected. The nose is full of slightly burnt caramel, grilled corn, almonds, and dark chocolate. Vanilla becomes a bit more full in character with some airtime. Taste-wise, an initial hit of fresh orange refreshes the palate, followed by concentrated caramel, light herbs, cigar box, and a touch of barrel char. The finish lingers for a good long time. Warming. Leaves behind peanut butter and molasses notes.

Nice pick! It seems a touch more complex than the standard KC single barrel. Maisano’s has it priced at right under $48. If you’re in the Ocean Springs area, definitely make at stop at Maisano’s. Jonathan has a wide selection of barrel picks. If this Knob Creek is any indication of his palate and ability to pick barrels, you’re in for a great time. 8.5/10